The Repeater: Degrees Of Complication

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So how does the movement tell the hammers how many times and where to strike? The key to this lies with the snails. These aptly-named components are small, semi-circular cams that have steps cut into their outer radius that precisely determine how many times the hammer strikes. There is a snail dedicated to the hours, the quarter hours and the minutes, with the hour snail having 12 steps, the quarter hour three steps and the minute snail 14. These snails are geared to the timekeeping mechanism of the watch movement, so they are constantly in synch with the current time.

While the snails coordinate the number of times the gongs are struck, the act of striking is actuated by racks, levers and cams that continue to pivot the spring-loaded hammers. The entire sequence of events is something to behold, and while many repeater watches have solid casebacks to enhance acoustics, a glass back allows the owner to observe the magic. Perhaps more than any other complication, the repeater is one that never ceases to astound and amuse in its complexity and aural splendor.

Best of breed

Minute repeaters are the province of haute horlogerie, the height of watchmaking excellence. So it’s not surprising that the best examples of repeaters are from the most storied watch companies: names like Audemars Piguet, A. Lange & Sohne and Vacheron Constantin. Of course, when you’re talking about minute repeaters, the conversation really starts and ends with Patek Philippe.

If you’re a follower of the great watch auctions from Antiquorum, Sotheby’s or Bonhams, you know that the pieces that regularly command the top prices are vintage Patek repeaters. In the mid-20th century, the company produced some beautiful and historically important references, the 2524 perhaps being the best known. The present collection from this most renowned Geneva watch house continues the tradition, and one stands out from the rest. The 5074 is a "grand complication," meaning that rather than the repeater being a sole complication, the watch also has a perpetual calendar function as well as displaying the moon phase. The repeater is perhaps the most melodious of all, due to its cathedral gongs, which sound like a miniature Notre Dame on your wrist. Legend has it that no Patek repeater leaves the manufacture until it passes a hands-on test from company president Philippe Stern, who listens to the chimes in the solitude of his office. If you’re fortunate enough to have half a million dollars to buy a Patek 5074, be sure to opt for the rose-gold variety. Rose gold is thought to have the best acoustic resonance of any case metal. That’s something you’ll appreciate when you’re suffering through Wagner’s "Ring Cycle," even if your fellow opera-goers shoot you dirty looks.